Pellets containing plant extracts, process of making same and their pharmaceutical peroral or cosmetic use

Abstract

Plant extract containing pellets are formed by a dispersion of plant extract or extracts in a matrix, principally comprising a skeleton builder namely collagen, gelatin, fractionated gelatin, a collagen hydrolysate, gelatin derivative plant proteins, or plant protein hydrolysates. They are shelf stable and their pharmacological as well as cosmetic properties are substantially unchanged in comparison to the native extracts. They may be produced by a simple process in which a solution of the skeleton former is mixed with liquid plant extract or emulsified with solid extracts, dissolved or suspended, the dispersion of the skeleton former and the plant extract dropped into a very cold inert fluid, suitably liquid nitrogen, to form the pellets and the thus formed pellets dried.

We claim: 
     
       1. Plant extract containing dried cryopellets comprising a plant extract the activity and amount whereof is essentially undiminished by the cryopelleting dispersed in a matrix at least 50% w/w whereof comprising substantially of skeleton forming water soluble hydrophilic macromolecular material selected from the group consisting of collagen, scleroproteins, gelatin, fractionated gelatin, collagen hydrolysates, succinylated gelatin, elastin hydrolysates, plant proteins, plant protein hydrolysates and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       2. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one additional skeleton forming hydrophilic material selected from the group consisting of albumins, plant proteins, plant protein hydrolysates, agar agar, gum arabic, pectins, tragacanth, xanthane, natural and modified starches, dextrans, dextrines, maltodextrin, chitosan, alginates, cellulose derivatives, dextran, sugar, glycine, lactose, mannitol and polyvinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
       3. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising pharmaceutically acceptable inactive ingredients or carrier material in the matrix. 
     
     
       4. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 having a content of plant extract of 0.1 to 98 wt. % (calculated as a dry substance). 
     
     
       5. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plant extract is selected from the group consisting of solid plant extracts, liquid plant extracts, hydrophilic plant extracts, lipophilic plant extracts, individual plant content materials as well as mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       6. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 existing as lyophilisates. 
     
     
       7. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 which are rapidly dissolvable in aqueous media wherein said matrix comprises substantially a plant protein, plant protein hydrolysate, collagen hydrolysate, cold water soluble gelatin derivative or gelatin the major portion whereof having a molecular weight under 10 5  D. 
     
     
       8. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 1 wherein said matrix comprises as softeners, glycerin or sorbitol of between 1 and 50 wt. %, relative to the total mass of said pellets. 
     
     
       9. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 8 existing in solid or semisolid form. 
     
     
       10. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 8 comprising, as a sol/gel former, a gelatin the major portion whereof having a molecular weight above 10 5  D. 
     
     
       11. Process for the preparation of a plant extract containing dried cryopellet having a matrix, the amount and activity of said extract being essentially undiminished by the cryopelleting, comprising the steps of: a) mixing said extract with which is selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic fluid plant extracts, aqueous extracts, alcoholic extracts, as well as mixtures thereof a skeleton forming water soluble hydrophilic macromolecular material selected from the group consisting of collagen, gelatin, fractionated gelatin, collagen hydrolysate, succinylated gelatin, plant proteins, plant protein hydrolysates, elastin hydrolysates as well as mixtures thereof, said material comprising at least 50% by weight of said mixture;   b) dropping the thus obtained mixture into an exceedingly cold inert fluid having a density less than that of the mixture of (a) at a temperature of between -70° and -270° C. whereby the cryopellets are molded; and   c) drying said cryopellets.   
     
     
       12. Process according to claim 11 wherein in step a) an aqueous solution of said macromolecular material is made and mixed with said hydrophilic fluid plant extract. 
     
     
       13. Process according to claim 11 wherein where the plant extract is an alcoholic extract, the said process comprising a final step c), wherein said alcoholic solvent is removed. 
     
     
       14. Process according to claim 11 wherein after step a) and prior to step b), the solution is concentrated. 
     
     
       15. Process according to claim 11 wherein where the extract is a lipophilic extract, it is emulsified into the matrix mass in step a). 
     
     
       16. Process according to claim 11 wherein in step a) a solid plant extract is dissolved into said macromolecular material. 
     
     
       17. Process according to claim 11 wherein in step a) a solid plant extract is suspended in said macromolecular material. 
     
     
       18. Process according to claim 11 wherein the mixture is dropped into liquid nitrogen. 
     
     
       19. Process according to claim 11 wherein said drops are of equal predetermined form and are created by means of a dosing system capable of creating same. 
     
     
       20. Process according to claim 11 comprising of freeze drying the thus dried cryopellets. 
     
     
       21. Process according to claim 11 wherein, to the product of step a) there is added at least one additional skeleton forming hydrophilic material selected from the group consisting albumin, agar agar, gum arabic, pectins, tragacanth, xanthane, natural and modified starches, dextranes, dextrines, maltodextrin, chitosan, alginates, cellulose derivatives, dextran, sugar, glycine, lactose, mannitol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
       22. Process according to claim 11 comprising the further step of adding to the mixture of step a) as softeners, glycerin, sorbitol or mixtures thereof comprising 1 to 50 wt. % relative to the entire mass of extract and skeleton former. 
     
     
       23. Process according to claim 11 comprising the additional step wherein the cryopellets are dried at a maximum of 50° C. 
     
     
       24. Process according to claim 11 wherein, as macromolecular material, gelatins the major portion whereof having a molecular weight above 10 5  D are mixed with the plant extract at a maximum temperature of 60° C. 
     
     
       25. A pharmaceutical preparation containing the dried cryopellets of claim 1. 
     
     
       26. A food preparation for health care containing the dried cryopellets of claim 1. 
     
     
       27. A cosmetic preparation containing the dried cryopellets of claim 1. 
     
     
       28. Dried cryopellets in accordance with claim 9 comprising, as a sol/gel former, a gelatin having a maximum molecular weight distribution above 10 5  D.